Saturday, February 22, 2014

Best Snake Gag Ever

Frank and Ollie talk about this Ken Anderson sketch in their book The Illusion of Life.

It shows Sir Hiss sulking in his basket, after some verbal abuse from Prince John.

Ollie Johnston saw the comic potential for his animation right away, and he ended up using Ken's drawing for the final pose of the scene.

I remember laughing out loud in the theatre, when I watched this moment in the film Robin Hood. The idea that the snake would get into this casual, human pose was surprising and came out of nowhere. The situation is funny, because of Ken's concept, but also because of Ollie's animation.

As Sir Hiss lifts up parts of his body, they land on the basket's edge with real overlap and weight.

These are a few of Ollie's quick thumbnail sketches that show how he approached the scene.

The main reason the idea is funny is because it's been set up - Hiss has just commented how he differs from humans, and then suddenly behaves in a surprisingly human-like manner, adding an extra layer of irony.

Later in the film, when Sir Hiss sings a verse of Prince John, the Phony King of England, he clears his throat and curls the tip of his tail into a fist which he taps against his chest. I've always loved that bit. Especially how the very tip of his tail is positioned to look like a thumb.

Hi Mr. Deja. I really enjoy your blog and though I'm not an animator, it inspires me daily in my traditional painting. I was wondering if there is any chance you might add a search function for your blog. I was trying to look for something specific in the past and couldn't find it and this would be a great help. Thanks so much.